In a remarkable follow-up to our previous story, Anushka Godambe, a former student at Westlake High School in Austin, Texas, has continued her incredible journey of giving. Since our last update, Anushka has expanded her efforts, and with her unwavering dedication, she has now collected and donated over 40,000 books to BookSpring over the last six years. Growing up, Anushka had a home library and cherished the memories of reading those books repeatedly. Her favorite book was Dumbo the Flying Elephant, and this early love of reading inspired her to ensure other children could experience the same joy.
Memorable Moments in Anushka’s Journey
One of the standout moments in Anushka’s journey was reaching her first milestone of collecting 100 books. She began this drive in the 8th grade, and the initial goal of donating 100 books felt “daunting at the time”. Over several weeks, Anushka went door-to-door in her neighborhood to reach this goal. The excitement of donating those first 100 books was unforgettable, fueling her confidence to set even higher goals.
Anushka’s Advice for Students Considering Community Service
For students looking to start their community own service projects, Anushka suggests beginning with a “small, attainable” goal and progressively setting new milestones. For example, after reaching her initial goal of 100 books, she increased it to 500. Another key piece of advice is to approach the project with patience. Over six years, Anushka has steadily worked on her book drive without rushing to meet new milestones. By going at your own pace, she remarks that “you enjoy the process which makes the service work more rewarding.”
Embracing Responsibility and Community
Organizing this book drive over the years has shown Anushka that she is capable of handling significant responsibilities, even at a young age. The role required her to connect with teachers, librarians, parents, and students across Austin and manage the logistics of collecting and delivering donations. Though initially challenging, Anushka has grown alongside this project and has learned to embrace the responsibilities that come with it, gaining a deeper understanding of her role in the community.